


Ascending to Valhalla

by punkish_furball



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Naruto
Genre: Crossover, Multi, Post-Series, Romantic Comedy, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-16
Updated: 2014-05-29
Packaged: 2017-12-15 03:47:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/844949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punkish_furball/pseuds/punkish_furball
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two shinobi warriors locked in a battle to the death meet their demise at each other's hands. However, Naruto and Sasuke never expected the afterlife to be like this with such an odd, new companion. (originally posted to FF.net 06.13.2013; all chapters currently undergoing revision; 3/4 completed)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome to the Afterlife, Naruto!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer for this story: InuYasha is property of Rumiko Takahashi and Naruto is property of Masashi Kishimoto. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author, punkish furball. The author, punkish furball, is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. The author, punkish furball, makes no profit from this fanfiction. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> punkish_furball – Howdy! :3
> 
> Words to Ponder:
> 
> Hello, all. This is a little drabble series I started while I'm working on other, longer pieces. The main pairing is Naruto/Kagome/Sasuke. I hope you enjoy it! XD
> 
> And, pardon my shameless plug, but I recently updated my Harry Potter/InuYasha crossover, Demonic Teachings. Check it out if you have the time!

**Installment 1: Welcome to the Afterlife, Naruto!**

Uzumaki Naruto groaned as he slowly regained the feeling in his limbs which were stiff and numb from overexertion. It took him a while to remember the events prior to this moment, but they eventually came to him in a bombardment of scattered memories.

 _That's right_ , he thought,  _Sasuke came to the Hidden Leaf._

Just as he promised, Uchiha Sasuke, the self-proclaimed avenger, returned to Konohagakure for a direct assault with his party of three  _shinobi_. And, just as he promised, Naruto along with the rest of Kakashi- _tachi_  intercepted them before they reached the village. While the others divided the members of Taka- _tachi_ amongst themselves, Naruto immediately confronted Sasuke. Soon after, the two engaged in combat.

_Everything after that is so blurry. What happened to Sasuke?_

Naruto quickly sat up, groaning when a wave of dizziness hit him. He pressed a hand to his head and rubbed his temples to fight off the oncoming headache.

"You shouldn't sit up too fast or you'll regret it," an unfamiliar but gentle voice said.

Naruto opened his eyes to see a raven-haired beauty with deep blue eyes and a heartwarming smile kneeling by his side. Despite how innocent she appeared, he regarded the unknown girl with suspicion. He knew she was not a citizen of Konohagakure, and there was no way a normal civilian or even another ninja could enter the village during the ongoing battle.

"Who are you?" he asked her harshly.

Surprisingly, she sighed and shook her head at him, exasperated.

"You don't trust me at all, do you?" she asked. Without waiting for an answer, she added, "Then again, I should expect that from a  _shinobi_."

"Answer me."

Instead of replying immediately, the girl stood to her feet and held her hand to Naruto, catching him off guard again.

"My name is Kagome. You can consider me your tour guide for the time being," she told him.

"Tour guide?" Naruto curiously repeated.

He finally looked around and noticed he was no longer in the battlefield on the outskirts of his village and the Hidden Leaf was nowhere in sight. Surrounding him was a seemingly endless meadow of lush green grass dotted with wild flowers blooming in a wide spectrum of colors.

"Where the hell am I?" Naruto shouted, demanding answers.

Kagome sighed again; she had a feeling she'd be doing that a lot.

_Kami-sama, give me strength._

"If you would just be quiet and a little more pati—" she began but was cut off when Naruto held a  _kunai_  to her neck.

"Tell me who you really are, and why I'm here."

Despite the obvious danger, Kagome stood with her hands clamped by her side, unwavering. Naruto, still not sure if she was truly an enemy, applied more pressure to her neck, nicking her skin and producing a small trail of blood.

_That scent!_

_Huh?_  Naruto uttered when the other presence in his body stirred,  _Kurama?_

In an instant, Naruto was completely overwhelmed, and his body was taken over by the  _kitsune_. Due to his constant training with Killer Bee, it was much easier for the Nine-Tails to possess him when he wasn't expecting it.

In Naruto's form, the Nine-Tails pounced and knocked Kagome off her feet, making her yelp in shock. He quickly straddled her waist and placed his mouth by the small flesh wound Naruto inflicted, hungrily breathing in the feminine musk that drew his attention. Kurama slowly traced the trail of blood with his tongue and relished the tingling sensation it produced in his mouth. Placated, Kurama rested his head against Kagome's breasts, purring in contentment.

 _What the hell are you doing?_  Naruto asked, alarmed. Kurama never expressed any interest in such carnal desires despite his demonic nature—directly or otherwise.

Kurama chuckled.  _It's been a long time since I had the opportunity to savor a delicacy like this. I was not about to pass it up._

_What are you talking about? Do you really drink human blood?_

Nine-Tails fiendishly grinned and snuggled closer into his newly acquired warmth. He was far too content to answer Naruto's questions.

Naruto growled before roughly taking back control and locking Kurama away. He would never fully understand the demonic entity, and he wasn't sure he wanted to. He stiffened when he heard Kagome clear her throat and as realized his head was still resting on top of her warm, fleshy mounds. Naruto scrambled off of her, an angry red flush on his whiskered cheeks.

"Sorry!" he uttered, embarrassed.

Kagome only laughed as she stood. "Don't worry about it! It's not the first time I was molested on the job, but I did forget you were a package deal!"

At the sound of her voice, Naruto relaxed even though he still didn't understand what was going on. When he joined her on his feet, Kagome spoke again, her eyes suddenly dimmed and saddened. Her tone wasn't as reassuring as it was before.

"As you can probably tell, this isn't your village, Uzumaki-san," she stated.

"How…how did you know my name? And where are we? Why am I here?" he asked, wildly gesturing to the tranquil meadow.

As he continued to speak, Naruto's suspicion slowly receded as an uncomfortable, heavy feeling took its place and filled his heart.

"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but this is the afterlife. You are dead."

Naruto's heart sank.

-O0o0O-

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> punkish_furball – That's a wrap! Updates on this piece will be sporadic as I'm not entirely sure where it's headed. If you guys like it, that might change. Until next time, TCB! X3
> 
> (revised 05.17.2014)


	2. The Bearer of Bad News

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> punkish_furball – Salutations! XD
> 
> Words to Ponder:
> 
> Thank you for reviewing from FF.net: Sin of the Fallen, Jayne, Aloever, fofafie, itsmekage, KagomeHiei, kakashixangela, mndstjohn, Uchiha B, surugasasa, fallingyuki, DarkRose224, and Valleygoat! X3

**Installment 2: The Bearer of Bad News**

Kagome was silent as she waited for Naruto to react to what she told him, her hands resting comfortably behind her back. Telling someone for the first time was always the hardest thing to do, and their first reaction was always unpredictable.

 _Naruto's been confrontational so far_ , she mused as she continued to watch him,  _I better be prepared for a direct attack, verbal or physical._

"What are you trying to say?" Naruto quietly uttered, "I can't be…"

"I'm afraid it's true," Kagome interjected, "You died in your fight with Uchiha Sasuke, a missing  _nin_  from the Hidden Leaf Village, and ascended the the afterlife for all those who have died in battle."

"Oh yeah? And why the hell should I believe anything you say?" Naruto roughly inquired, going back on the offensive.

"Well, how else would I know about all that?" she pointedly asked him.

"Sasuke being a missing  _nin_  isn't some huge secret! Anyone would be able to recognize him and figure that out! And so what if you saw the two of us fighting? Big fucking deal!" Naruto countered, furious.

Kagome was undeterred by the outburst but had to concede. Naruto made a valid point.

"Very well. How would you like me to prove I am telling the truth?"

Naruto was quick to think of a suitable method.

"If I really died and you're really here to take me to the next world, tell me something about me that no one else would know. You should be able to do that much, right?"

Kagome sighed and tiredly ran her fingers through her hair. This was a question most departed spirits asked when they doubted their own death, and she absolutely loathed to answer it especially since many of the fallen warriors she escorted had very complicated histories like Naruto.

"Do you really want me to go there just to prove a point?"

Kagome rolled her eyes when Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, obviously waiting for an answer.

"As you wish," she said, "You, Uzumaki Naruto, are the only child of Namikaze Minato, the late Yondaime Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and Uzumaki Kushina, the human vessel of the Nine-Tailed Fox, Kurama, before you. Both  _shinobi_  died the night you were born after Namikaze-san sealed Kurama inside of your body sixteen years ago."

Stunned, Naruto stepped back, his arms falling to the side. "No way. How could you know all that?"

"Do you believe me now?" Kagome asked, "As one who escorts the dead, I have access to all of the personal information of my current charges."

"I guess there's no other explanation then," Naruto mumbled before a disturbing thought entered his mind.

"What happened to the village? Did anyone else get hurt?"

"I don't know exactly how much collateral damage was done, but the fight was far enough to ensure that no onlookers were killed—civilian or  _shinobi_. There was only one other recorded fatality," Kagome answered.

"One other? It has to be Sasuke, right?"

Kagome nodded. She had no reason to lie.

"He's next on today's pickup list."

"Take me with you," Naruto demanded.

"Seeing as the two of you killed each other, I don't think that would be the best idea," Kagome dryly told him.

"Please take me!" he urged her, "I have to talk to him. We're both dead, so he has no choice but to listen to me now!"

Kagome hummed as she considered the request. As unorthodox as it was, it wasn't uncommon for an escort to pick up multiple charges at once, and the Uchiha will definitely be a difficult charge to bring in.

 _Maybe it would be useful to bring Naruto-san along_ , Kagome thought,  _If things take a turn for the worst, I can always use my trump card._

Once Kagome made her decision, she asked, "If I take you along, will you promise me you'll behave yourself?"

"You don't have to talk to me like I'm a little kid!" Naruto shouted.

"Then stop acting like one!" Kagome scolded, her hands firmly planted on her hips, "I'm your escort not a babysitter."

"Fine! If you don't want to help me, I don't need you! I'll find Sasuke without you!"

Naruto sharply turned and began stomping through the meadow with the intent of locating Sasuke on his own.

"Hey, big shot  _shinobi_ ," Kagome called out to him with a hand cupped around her mouth to project her voice, "Do you have any idea where you're headed?"

Naruto stiffened as he came to an abrupt halt without turning to face her.

"Shut up!" he yelled. He jumped when Kagome appeared by his side and placed a hand on his shoulder, looking at him with a small smile.

"You're actually going in the right direction, but stick with me. After all, this is still my assignment," she said before she continued.

"Sure," Naruto muttered before catching up to her.

When the two began walking through the field together, Naruto began to settle down from his emotional high. Dying wasn't so bad if you got to see peaceful scenery like this and were escorted by someone like Kagome. She was a bit fiery at first, but he could tell she was also an understanding and kind person.

'Okaa-san, Otou-san, Jiraiya-sensei, were you taken to the next world by such a person?' Naruto thought then grimaced, 'I've may have been too hard on her.'

"Hey, Kagome-san," he began, "how did you end up with a job like this?"

She only shrugged. "Would you prefer someone else in my place?"

"It's not like that!" he exclaimed, nervously rubbing the back of his neck, "I just never pictured the Grim Reaper as a pretty girl."

"At least I'm better than a dusty old skeleton," she replied with a giggle.

Naruto smiled. He had to agree.

"I think so to. Is that the only reason you're here?"

"Not exactly. There's a lot more to it than that. I've been in this gig for a while now, but it's not like I chose it."

"Then how'd you get here?"

The pleasant look on Kagome's face diminished as her eyes lowered to the ground.

"The same way you ended up here. Protecting what I love the most."

-O0o0O-

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> punkish_furball – I hope you enjoyed that. It'll be funnier in the next installment, I promise. Until next time, TCB! X3
> 
> (revised 05.20.2014)


	3. The Beaded Equalizer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> punkish_furball – Hello, all! XD
> 
> Words to Ponder:
> 
> Thank you for reviewing from FF.net: Sin of the Fallen, Vallygoat, KEdakumi, Jayne, starmienight, Dark Void Princess 21, June-Day, DarkRose224, fofafie, Guest (1), KagomeHiei, kid love, Aloever, Guest (2), kimchi759, xXKillorbeKilledXx, Otaku Neko Ninja Miko Tenshi (2x)! XD
> 
> Thank you BunnyWK from AO3.org for commenting! XD

**Installment 3: The Beaded Equalizer**

For the remainder of their trek, Naruto walked beside Kagome in silence. After she gave him such a cryptic answer, he wasn't sure what else to say. On top of that, he began to notice the odd atmosphere of this intermediary world. No matter how far or how long they walked, their surroundings didn't change. The sun was still high in the sky accompanied with gentle breezes that made the wildflowers sway, the same scene Naruto saw when he first woke up.

"It's always noon here," Kagome stated without warning.

"Huh?"

"I noticed you looking around a lot," she told him, "Anyway, it's always noon in this field."

"Why is that?" Naruto asked.

"Would you want to find out you're dead in the middle of a rain storm?"

Naruto lightly chuckled. "I guess not. So this is where I spend the rest of eternity?"

"Of course not! This is just a pickup station. The scenery is here to relax you before we go to the next stop, the gates of judgment."

"Good. This place is nice and all, but it's boring as hell!"

Kagome giggled and said, "I suppose it is. As soon as we pick up, Uchiha-san, we can leave."

"Alright! When do we meet him?" Naruto eagerly asked.

"Not much longer now. He should be up ahead," she responded, thoughtful, "Even if he wandered off, he couldn't go far."

As soon as Kagome finished speaking, she and Naruto came to a sudden stop. Then, in one fluid motion, Naruto scooped Kagome in his arms and brought her out of harm's way from the massive surge of lightening released _chakra_. Just as Naruto's feet touched the ground, Sasuke withdrew his hand from the crater his _Chidori_ created.

"Naruto," he said, his voice portraying little emotion.

Kagome groaned, still in the deceased _shinobi's_ arms. "We don't have time for this. I knew I shouldn't have brought you along."

"Hey!" Naruto shouted, indignant, "Is that how you thank me for saving your life?"

When he looked down and saw the dry look on Kagome's face, he realized his blunder. They no longer had any lives to lose.

"Oh, right. I forgot."

"Just put me down," Kagome instructed "I can handle this."

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked.

Alive or dead, Sasuke was one tough opponent to beat. He doubted someone like Kagome would be able to pull it off even if she didn't need to fear death. Sasuke would quickly do away with her to resume his fight with him.

"Dealing with hostile newbies is in my job description, Uzumaki-san," she told him with a grin. However, despite the cheerful look on her face, she wasn't looking forward to this confrontation.

 _There is one surefire way to disable Uchiha-san until he calms down_ , she mused, _I hoped I didn't have to resort to this because I'll have to subdue Uzumaki-san as well or it'll look too suspicious._

Easily slipping form Naruto's grip, Kagome cautiously approached the disgruntle Uchiha.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked. His hand was already inching toward his blade.

"Hey now. There's no need to take it out on the messenger," she said, "It's my job to take you in, and there's still time for you to come with me peacefully."

Sasuke barked out a laugh as he drew his _katana_ and prepared for an attack. "So you intend to take me in without incident?"

"No such luck!"

Kagome sighed as she artfully dodged the assault and appeared behind Sasuke, surprising both him and Naruto with her speed. Sasuke then ignored her retreat and changed the target of his attack to Naruto now that she was out of the way.

 _How predictable_ , Kagome thought, _Now's my chance to intervene. I think I'll use an old-time favorite for him_.

She withdrew a simple string of beads from her pocket and casually tossed them in Sasuke's direction. With a life force of their own, they bonded to his neck, dragging him back with the force they created. Unable to resist, Kagome grinned. This method was her favorite for a reason.

"Sit, boy!" she shouted.

In an instant, Sasuke's face was planted onto the ground as Kagome calmly strode toward him and Naruto. Naruto, who was ready to counter Sasuke's attack, slowly slipped from his defensive position as she approached.

"What in the world just happened?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"Standard protocol for handling hostiles," Kagome answered as she pulled out another set of beads from her pocket, "Sorry, but I have to do you too."

"Me? Why?"

"You attacked me too if you recall," Kagome reminded him, "I was hoping to avoid this, but Uchiha-san's use of chakra won't go unnoticed. It'll be suspicious if I subdue him and not you considering how you arrived here. I can't afford to show preferential treatment."

Naruto blushed and took a step back. Everything was happening too quickly for him to process so he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"But you said that wasn't the first time you were molested!"

"Idiot!" Kagome exclaimed, "I was referring to what happened before **that**!"

Before he could continue his protests, the beads appeared around Naruto's neck and, in seconds, he was in the same position as Sasuke.

"Down, boy!" Kagome shouted, her face still violent red with embarrassment.

-O0o0O-

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> punkish_furball – I thought that was hilarious! Until next time, TCB! X3
> 
> (revised 05.20.2014)


	4. The Phantom of the Tollbooth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> punkish_furball – Howdy, strangas! XD
> 
> Words to Ponder:
> 
> Sorry for the delay, everyone! I sorta fell off Naruto for a while, but I was determined to get this next chapter out. Please accept my humble apologies!
> 
> Thank you for reviewing from FF.net: Sin of the Fallen, kakashixangela, Aloever, Jayne, KagomeHiei, Kedakumi, fallingyuki, Otaku Neko Ninja Miko Tenshi, Valleygoat, CrystalVixen93, kid love, fofafie, Applejax XD, Killing perfection’s lover, Silversun XD, your kidney 4lunch ‘3, CresentWolf1, Pika-chan15, dark-wolf-howl, silverfoxkurama, and lunamoon2424! X3
> 
> Pardon me as I shamelessly plug my recently updated InuYasha/TMNT crossover, Storm in a Teacup. Check it out if you have the chance! ^.^

**Installment 4: The Phantom of the Tollbooth**

Kagome grimaced as she stood over her two latest charges, both of them thoroughly subdued by her spelled prayer beads. She sighed and began to rub her temples to relieve the pressure of her oncoming headache. At least the Uchiha decided to remain silent for now. Unfortunately for her, Naruto spoke more than enough for the both of them.

“The longer you keep this up, the longer the whole process will take,” she said, exasperated. She already said the same phrase several times before now.

Kagome raised an eyebrow and lowered her hands when Naruto’s unintelligible mumbles grew louder.

“Pardon? What did you say?”

With a loud groan, Naruto lifted his head from the dirt to glare at her.

“I said you’re the one who keeps pummeling us to the ground! You’re the one holding us up!”

Kagome rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

“I wouldn’t have to do that if the two of you could be civil for more than two seconds,” she explained, “I use the spell to keep you in check. That’s the purpose of the subjugation beads.”

The right side of her mouth twitched as she fought the urge to grin. Kagome would never admit she subdued them once or twice purely for shits and giggles. She didn’t have a chance to use her favorite trump in a long time. This change in her usual routine was turning out to be a lot more fun than she expected even if they were behind schedule.

“It’s not my fault!” Naruto cried, “Sasuke attacked me way more times than I attacked him!”

“Really?” Kagome asked, grinning as she feigned innocence, “I haven’t noticed.”

“Why you—!”

“Shut up.”

Naruto and Kagome turned in Sasuke’s direction after he spoke. He was sitting up with his legs crossed, surprising them both. Before now, he initiated an attack immediately after he recovered from the subjugation spell.

“Sasuke,” Naruto quietly muttered.

“Tell me. Where are we?” he asked.

“Are you finally ready to listen to me?” Kagome quipped and continued speaking without waiting for Sasuke to respond.

“This is an intermediate plane of existence between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead. You are here because you and Uzumaki-san died in battle.”

Kagome paused and waited, carefully watching the boy’s reaction. At first glance, he appeared completely emotionless, indifferent to the reality he just learned of. However, closer inspection revealed the tightness in his jaw, the tension in his muscles, and the mixed emotions in his eyes.

 _So he’s that type_ , Kagome surmised. Unlike Naruto, true acceptance would come much later for him, and it would likely be a very volatile experience. Until then, she could use this momentary lull to her advantage.

“Alright, gentlemen!” she said, clapping her hands together once, “Let’s get going. We’ve spent too much time here as it is.”

Sasuke quickly and calmly stood to his feet as though the prior alterations and the resulting punishments didn’t happen. Naruto stood right after, protectively shadowing Kagome with both eyes trained on Sasuke. Their lifeless escort may have the upper hand, but he would not let his guard down with the other ninja so close. The battle that led to their deaths was still fresh on their minds, so the talk Naruto wanted to have with Sasuke would have to wait until they achieved some sort of stability.

Without commenting on the behavior of either _shinobi_ , Kagome began walking with Naruto glued to her side and Sasuke following them just within the limits of her peripheral vision. As they traveled in silence, time seemed to both pass and stand still. The position of the sun overhead did not change as Kagome said before, but Naruto was sure they’ve been walking for hours.

“Isn’t there a faster way to do this?” he asked with a groan. He wasn’t fatigued, only bored.

Kagome shrugged. “I prefer this pace.”

“Weren’t you complaining about us being late this whole time? We should really speed up then!”

“It doesn’t really matter. We already missed our appointment, but we’ll still show up at a reasonable time if we continue to walk.”

Naruto growled. From the moment they met up with Sasuke, it seemed like everything Kagome did or said was meant to rile him up.

“Seriously!? Dying is bad enough without having to spend the rest of eternity walking in some stupid field where it’s always noon!”

“You know I told you there’s more to the afterlife than this.”

“But how much longer do we have to walk? I would die of boredom if I wasn’t already dead!”

Sasuke sneered and uttered the first word he said since he officially joined the oddly matched pair on their journey.

“Halfwit.”

It was obvious who he was referring to.

“What did you say!?” Naruto bellowed as he turned to face him, “If you wanna go, I’m more than ready!”

“Down,” Kagome dryly said.

Naruto moaned as his body crashed to the earth. “What did I do this time?”

“Do you even have to ask? It thought we were passed this, Uzumaki-san,” she replied.

“But Sasuke started it!” he countered.

Kagome thoughtfully hummed and looked at Sasuke from the corner of her eye. He didn’t seem to fear reprimand.

“While I don’t approve of how he said it, Uchiha-san was just making an observation.”

Naruto pulled himself into a sitting position with his legs crossed.

“And why would that be?” he asked, his face flushed with both anger and embarrassment.

Sasuke smirked and pointed one slim finger ahead of them. Naruto’s eyes widened when he looked in the direction he indicated and saw a gate built up with gleaming white limestone and precious metals that seemed to span several miles in height and length.  

“So that it?” he asked, awed, “The gates of judgment?”

Kagome nodded once. “It shouldn’t be much longer now. Follow me.”

When Naruto was on his feet, the trio began traveling again in the same formation as before. They remained solemn and silent as they approached the great gate. Naruto shuddered at the obvious shift in the atmosphere. Sasuke displayed no signs that he was affected other than a brief narrowing of his eyes.

As they got closer, another structure completely dwarfed by the gate appeared, a lone tollbooth. It was made of white stone like the gate but was plain in construction, lacking the gate’s intricate details. Naruto and Sasuke would not have noticed it if Kagome didn’t slow to a stop in front of the booth directly in front of its main window.

“I’m checking in,” she announced.

Soon after she spoke, the window slowly opened. Inside was a girl about Kagome’s age with pale skin and hollow eyes but just as beautiful if not more so.

 _Creepy_ , Naruto thought and focused his attention on Kagome.

For the second time after he first met her, Naruto truly noticed how different Kagome was from his image of death as he compared her to this new girl. Where she was pale as the imposing limestone that surrounded them, Kagome was sun-kissed. Her eyes were hollow and guarded where Kagome’s were vibrant and bright. Everything about the girl confined to the tollbooth from her traditional manner of dress to the blank stare she fixated on them and her hauntingly calm aura cried death. Kagome with her rosy pink cheeks, expressive eyes that revealed her every emotion, and so much more that was uniquely her was boundless and free, emitting life and life at its fullest. Naruto had to keep reminding himself that she was not of the living.

_Could it be that this girl is older than Kagome-san? Or rather, she died long before Kagome-san did._

“Kagome-sama,” the girl addressed her, her voice devoid of feeling, “who do you wish to bring through the gate?”

“Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke,” Kagome answered.

The girl waited for several tense moments before she spoke. Her countenance gave no indication of what she was silently deliberating.

She finally said, “Then let it be so.”

The girl reached out her hand and preceded to hand Kagome two paper lots. Kagome thanked her as she received them and bowed before she left the booth with Naruto at her side and Sasuke behind her. Before they reached the gate, she held out the two lots to them.

“Take one and be sure that you don’t lose it,” she instructed.

Sasuke quickly pocketed his while Naruto took the time to turn his over one side was blank while the other contained a single printed number.

“192? What does that mean?” he asked.

Kagome sighed and absently brushed her hair behind her ear. She didn’t look at the lots before now.

“That’s your number? I knew we were running late, but id didn’t think we were that far behind!”

“What does that have to do with this number?”

“Well,” Kagome began to explain, her tone oddly sheepish, “have you ever gone somewhere you have to pull a number and wait to be served until it is called?”

Suddenly, the tense atmosphere completely dissipated.

“You mean we have to wait for 191 other people to go ahead of us!?” Naruto cried. Though he was still silent, Sasuke was brimming with anger. He wanted to get these proceedings, whatever they entailed, over with as soon as possible. That way he could leave Naruto and their irritating escort behind for good.

“Not exactly.”

Giggling, Kagome pointed back to the tollbooth. Placed on its roof was an LED sign reading, “Now Serving #57”.

-O0o0O-

 


End file.
